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Anti-illegal immigration groups reject ‘racist’ label
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BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Brad Botwin, founder of the anti-illegal immigration group Help Save Maryland, said he has been called a Nazi, a racist and a member of a hate group when he’s organizing protests of day labor centers.
Botwin said he’s frustrated that his efforts to get Montgomery County government leaders to crack down on illegal immigrants make people think he’s worthy of those labels.
"We get people calling us KKK members and racists all the time," Botwin said. "As a Jew, the Klan wouldn’t have me for a member any day. I find it very insulting to hear these things shouted at me by people on megaphones who have never spoken to me."
But immigrant-advocacy group members say they believe the actions of anti-illegal immigration groups are often racist. Alicia Ruiz, an organizer with Virginia’s Tenants and Workers United, said when Minutemen come to area day labor centers, they only target Latinos for harassment and intimidation methods.
"When they talk about immigration problems, they don’t talk about illegal immigration from Europe," Ruiz said. "They’re always talking about Latin America. It is a color issue, because if they really just oppose illegal immigration, they’d think about other areas. There are illegal immigrants from Russia and Australia, too."
Hessie Harris, a black member of Botwin’s group, said she’s not afraid of the racist label.
"People want to say anybody who’s against illegal immigration is a racist," Harris said. "Well, if supporting the enforcement of laws makes someone a racist, so be it.
"People throw the term racist out there as if it’s putting a crucifix before a mythical Dracula."
Botwin agreed.
"We are anti-illegal immigration, not anti-immigration," he said.
Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA of Maryland, an immigrant-advocacy group, said while he believes some tactics used by anti-illegal immigration groups are racist, he does not think they should be silenced.
"I also believe they have the right to express themselves," he said.
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Brandon said:
To frame this problem in terms of civil rights, as the person below tries, is simply wrong. How does one see people coming into the country and telling Americans what laws they should or shouldn't enforce? Thats something else altogether. And its also not true that everyone's children will be making 3, 4 or 5 times as much as illegal immigrants. The problem is the rich/poor gap will continue to grow because of this--which is not just the fault of illegal immigrants, but small businesses hiring them, and people on Wall Street--and there will be such a standard set for employers who are addicted to hiring illegal immigrants that even to manage them they will only want Spanish-speaking formerly illegal immigrants. So those kids will likely continue to be struggling to get a job, and yes, competing with people who aren't even citizens.
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Examiner Reader said:
Hessie Harris, a black member of Botwin’s group said" People want to say anybody who’s against illegal immigration is a racist," Harris said. "Well, if supporting the enforcement of laws makes someone a racist, so be it."-I guess you would have supported jim crows laws since they were the law, thats a shame. Look were that got black folk. I cant believe this quote,"My teenage children can not find employmemt while going to school and they ARE CITIZENS".Your little spawn don't need a job there going to make 3,4, or 5 times the income any illegal would ever make and you all want more.Boy I tell ya, y'all aint got no shame.I could go on and on but you lowlife's already took up to much of my time.
0 agree | 1 disagree
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Brandon said:
Alicia Ruiz is an absolute moron. Comparing illegal Australians, or even Russians, with the amount of illegal Latino immigrants is absurd. Illegal Latinos make up more than 70 percent of all illegal immigrants, so yes, they are the bulk of the problem. And immigration in a country that is way past its carrying capacity should be geared towards diversity and cultural richness. There is nothing diverse or culturally rich about more than half a million Latinos--legal or illegal--flooding into this country every year. Especially when the Pew Center estimates that with the amount of Latinos now, by 2050 a 1/3 of the country will be Hispanic. And thank you Mr. Torres for allowing people with their heads still screwed on forwards the right to free speech.
1 agree | 2 disagree
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Saka said:
Mongo, Five little trolls sit under the bridge Wishing they could walk in the sunlight. They grumble and moan so jealously but nobody hears on their low voltage website. They are the biggest fans of the ALIPAC show And watch and scream day and night. Like the Stooges, Sylvester, and Wiley Coyote None of their plans go right. One thousand posts is a whopping big deal. Brand X clears that each day. Now the trolls are really crying ALIPAC broke five million hits in May! Three users online at any given time. Nobody wants to come and stay. Nobody wants to wallow in troll filth. These trolls they smell of ass gas, sewage, and decay. These trolls were flushed into the ALIPAC sewer Now they hope something will trickle down. But all they get is a little refuse And a monster named Pennywise the clown. Poor old Bob and his elaborate lies and plans. Finds himself defeated on every single front. (...)
1 agree | 0 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Thanks for yhe Ink Marylanders are tired of illegal immagration.My teenage children can not find employmemt while going to school and they ARE CITIZENS
1 agree | 1 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Citizens of the United States beware. At this moment, you are being stalked by a cunning, sophisticated predator. Thousands of American men and women have fallen victim to this ruthless hunter. The tool this predator uses is a smile, and the warm embrace of a lover. This predator has one goal, to gain entry into the United States by marrying an American citizen. Once this objective is accomplished, you have served your purpose. You will be discarded like a rag. Be assured this predator is not alone; He or she will have access to attorneys who specialize in distorting the intent of our legal system. No matter how unethical, they will get the job done. The predator, through legal maneuvering, is now transformed into a “victim.” Several years ago I was involved in a bitter divorce. The woman I married was from a foreign country. We were married a year and a half. She was in the U.S. six mouths before I filed for divorce. Little did I realize I was one of th
2 agree | 2 disagree
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Lou, Paradise MD said:
only the libs want the US to operate like a dictatorship (as long as they are in charge) I am all for LEGAL immigration. Why shouldn't "third world people" have a shot at the American dream? As long as they do it LEGALLY. My ancestors came here as immigrants, learned english, and became citizens as soon as they were eligible. People certainly do make a country.
67 agree | 22 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I'm against all Third World immigration. When you import Third World people, you import their culture and heritage, which includes their social pathologies. Does anyone want the U.S. to operate like Mexico, or any other Latin American country, or an African country for that matter? People make a country, not institutions. Does that make me a racist? Really, I don't care.
78 agree | 32 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
if only mr dobbs were president
68 agree | 17 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Lets see, they come illegally-predominately Mexican, but countries from around the globe. But in America's history, with legal immigration primarily, only one race now here illegally gives legal American's the option of choosing - press one for english. Only one race accuses us of being racist for supporting America's laws. We are inhumane for breaking up families that came here illegally. Far be it for us to insist that 20 people in a single family house might be a bit much, racist again? Paying taxes to support our schools, law enforcement, and health care fall on everyday tax paying American's, not business which benefits from a cheap unaccountable labor force. They depress wages in every field in which they are a majority. If that is racist, you bet I am. I served five years in order to further America as a nation of laws.
72 agree | 20 disagree
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Gary2 said:
Illegal immigration is at the root of an imbalance in the United States, and that has been hard on the legal Mexican citizens. I think of Mexicans as my brothers and sisters, and I want illegal immigration to stop for the sake of us all being equals, and there being no one group of people that serves everybody else. Furthermore, although there are definately racists that are against illegal immigrants America is still one of the most multi-culturally adjusted societies in the world. We also face racism from the cohesive illigal immigrant group. We can't live in the neighborhoods that they have occupied, which makes it hard for our children to find housing in the future, and we get stared at when we go to the areas where we are outnumbered.
85 agree | 22 disagree
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Lou, Paradise MD said:
Oh thank you, great one - I am speaking (typing) about gustavo torres, executive director of casa. He has given us (LEGAL, United States of America citizens) the rights under OUR constitution. Wow, what a nice guy. Now, all he has to do is respect all of our laws, like NOT breaking into our country illegally.
73 agree | 25 disagree
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Karl C said:
Being against criminal behavior is not racist. Cracking down on those who break the law is not racist. Forcing politicians who prefer to focus on letting felons vote rather than enforcing the law is not racist.
28 agree | 22 disagree
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Bettybb said:
Hey, it is the illegal immigrants who are racist. Their group, La Raza has a motto "Everything for our race, nothing for others.". "At one of their marches they were yelling racial insults at non-Latino Americans. When anti -illegal immigrant groups were marching the La Raza crowd was spitting at them and yelling racial insults. They have also said once they take back their lands, they are going to kick the Americans out. Now who are the racists?
83 agree | 19 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
before them who chose to do it legally. Would you let a complete stranger into your home? To do whatever they want? Flaunt your rules? Demand rights in your own home? If you answer "yes", then you, sir, are a complete moron. Quite simply, the United States needs to secure her borders, and begin aggresively enforcing both our soverignty and immigration laws. We need to know who is coming in here. Thats simply common sense. "Racism" or "color" has nothing to do with it. I've worked hard all my life and would like to leave my children and grandchildren a legacy in their country that doesn't involve Leaf Blowers and Toilet Brushes and english as the forgotten language. Quite simply, Mongo, people are getting fed-up. Even a sleeping dog knows when it is being deliberately kicked or inadvertently stepped on. We're tired of being intentionally kicked by people ignoring our laws and our soveriegnty. Nobody has anything against immigrants. Just the illegal ones who think they are special.
84 agree | 24 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
And, I don't believe it to be a "color" issue or a "racist" issue. Lets be honest here. The overwhelming majority of illegals in the United States (certainly in California) are? Ready? LATINOS! HISPANICS! MEXICANS! Okay? You can't argue with facts or figures. Mongo, surely you know that, too. And you also must know that people are fed up with it. We've had enough. We've done our part. How about these illegals showing at least some modicum of respect and allegiance to their "host" country, however involuntarily? Most of us don't see that. What we do remember is the recent demonstrations and marches of illegals defacing our flag and demanding "rights" that as glorified trespassers, they aren't remotely entitled to. Certainly no more than I would be if I were in Mexico illegally. So, lets keep this in perspective, and lets assume that most people are not idiots. We're sick and tired of this government-induced double standard of enforcement. They are no better than the millions befo
72 agree | 16 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Excuse me, Mongo. I didn't mean to butcher your name in my previous posting. My apologies.
73 agree | 23 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Mong: Lets be fair here. What about La Raza (The Race?) and their agenda? Care to enlighten us?
27 agree | 22 disagree
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Mongo Aurelio said:
A flurry of blogs and "discussion" lists are appearing on the internet portraying themselves as "not against immigration, but against illegal immigration". In practice, however, a big part of those contents and topics consists in deriding Mexicans, Mexico as a country and the Spanish language in general. Example at hand? alipac.us The name "Americans for Legal Immigration" is a misnomer; most of the group postings are anti-Mexico and anti-Spanish. Another big activity of these groups is to organize the jamming of lines and faxes of any legislator that proposes anything remotely lenient to immigrants (legal or illegal). Case at hand? Senator Specter's recent "draft of suggestions" for decriminalizing some visa overstayers. If most Americans were so virulently anti-Immigrant as these groups pretend, these groups would not be needing to make all that "noise" to give the sensation of plurality. Mongo www.itsnofun.com
32 agree | 37 disagree
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